


Chicken Pox

by notallballs (notallbees)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Chicken Pox, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 11:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13739832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notallbees/pseuds/notallballs
Summary: "Oh, sweetheart," Mayumi said after a short inspection. "I think you might have chicken pox."Hajime laughed sympathetically. "Bad luck, kiddo.""I don't know whyyoulook so smug," Mayumi said, glancing at Hajime. "You're not going anywhere either.""Uh—what?""If Chiakkun's getting spots, you've probably already caught it," Mayumi said, folding her arms over her chest. "That means no school, no volleyball—""And no Tooru!" Chiaki yelled with vicious glee.When Iwaizumi's little brother catches the chicken pox, Iwaizumi is put in quarantine with him. Oikawa takes it hard.





	Chicken Pox

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mousecat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mousecat/gifts).



> look sometimes you just gotta write something utterly self-indulgent, so here it is. 8000 words of iwa-chan being the best big brother and oikawa being a whiny brat :3
> 
> also i tried for so long to come up with a creative title and gave up

It started with a spot. 

"Chiakkun, what's that on your neck?" Hajime's mother asked as they sat eating breakfast. 

It was Foundation day, so neither of the boys had to go to school, and Hajime had promised his little brother that they could meet Oikawa and Takeru at the park to practice volleyball later. 

Chiaki dropped his hand from where he had been idly scratching the purplish mark. "I dunno," he mumbled. "Nothin'."

Mayumi frowned at him. "Did you fall down? Did To-chan scratch you?"

"No," Chiaki muttered in a sullen tone, lifting his hand to scratch again. 

"Wait a moment." Mayumi swooped in, snatching his wrist in her hand. "Chiakkun, let me see that."

Chiaki grumbled, but obediently turned his neck to let his mother see. He caught Hajime's eye across the table, and Hajime had to smother a laugh at his disgruntled expression. Chiaki was normally cheerful in the mornings, but he was grumpy when he was tired, and Hajime felt a little bad for being amused by his brother's foul mood. He stuck his tongue out, trying to make Chiaki smile, but his brother only huffed and looked away. Shrugging, Hajime went back to his breakfast.

"Oh, sweetheart," Mayumi said after a short inspection. "I think you might have chicken pox."

Hajime laughed sympathetically. "Bad luck, kiddo."

"Cool!" Chiaki said, his moodiness gone. "I'm gonna show Take-chan—"

"Oh no," Mayumi said, catching hold of his collar as he leapt up out of his seat. "You're not going anywhere, little bear. Chicken pox is very contagious. That means no school, no volleyball, and _no_ Take-chan."

Chiaki turned a scandalised expression on her. "What!" he yelped.

Hajime cackled. "It's okay, Chiakkun. Maybe you can toss out the window for us."

"Nii-chan," Chiaki whined, pouting. He swayed on his feet a little, grabbing for the edge of the table to support himself. "Mom, my head hurts."

"Sit _down_ , Chiakkun," Mayumi said, exasperated. 

"It won't be so bad," Hajime said, trying to sound sympathetic. "You get a few days off school."

"I don't know why _you_ look so smug," Mayumi said, glancing at Hajime. "You're not going anywhere either."

"Uh—what?"

"If Chiakkun's getting spots, you've probably already caught it," Mayumi said, folding her arms over her chest. "That means no school, no volleyball—"

"And no Tooru!" Chiaki yelled with vicious glee. 

Hajime scowled at him. "Shut it."

"Hajime!"

Chiaki flopped back in his chair, sulking. 

"B-but I had it when I was a kid," Hajime said, staring up at his mother. "Didn't I?"

She shook her head. "You and Tooru were the only ones in your grade school class that managed not to catch it. That means Tooru can't come over, not unless he wants to get sick too."

Hajime stared down at the remains of his breakfast. The rest of it sat heavy in his stomach. "How long for?" he asked, his voice as sullen as his younger brother's. It had only been a day since they talked about things; he'd been looking forward to seeing Oikawa again, as soon as possible. The thought of waiting made his stomach clench miserably.

"Oh, a week or so?" Mayumi said, distracted, already having turned away to rummage through a drawer for something. 

"A _week_?" Hajime demanded, his stomach lurching even worse. 

"Mm," Mayumi hummed. She came up with a little thermometer band and brushed Chiaki's fringe aside so that she could press it to his forehead. 

"I wanna go play volleyball," Chiaki grumbled.

Mayumi shook her head sharply. "Not a chance. You have a temperature, you're going straight to bed, mister."

"What about me?" Hajime asked, pushing away his plate. He didn't feel much like eating anymore. "I feel fine, can't I just go out for a couple of hours? I might not even catch it."

"Hajime, don't make me repeat myself," Mayumi said sternly. "I told you, you've probably already caught it. You're going to stay inside and finish your homework, and look after your little brother while I'm at work."

Hajime hung his head. "Fine."

While his mother was fussing over Chiaki and getting ready for work, Hajime trudged up to his bedroom and sent Oikawa a text.

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_today's off_

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_What??_  
_What do you mean it's off??_  
_Iwa-chan!!!! Don't cancel on me you dirty sneak!!_

Annoyed, mostly at his mother and Chiaki, even though he knew it wasn't their fault, Hajime didn't text back. A few minutes later his phone rang, and he answered it reluctantly.

"What."

 _"Iwa-chan!"_ Oikawa wailed. _"How can you cancel on me? We had plans! I was going to—"_

"Chiakkun's sick," Hajime interrupted. "I have to look after him."

 _"Ohh,"_ Oikawa sighed, his voice switching to sympathy immediately. _"Poor thing. Do you want me to come round instead of going to the park? Maybe I could bring him something to cheer him up."_

Hajime groaned. "Mom says you're not allowed. Chiakkun's got chicken pox."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. _"But...I've had chicken pox, so it'll be fine!"_

"Mom said neither of us had it."

Oikawa huffed. _"Well, that's ridiculous, I'm sure I remember catching it. I'm going to ask Mama."_

"Fine."

Oikawa hung up abruptly, and Hajime tossed his phone aside before lying down on his bed. He hated being cooped up inside. Two weeks ago he would've welcomed the break from Oikawa, but after what had happened yesterday, the thought of waiting was agony. Absently, Hajime rolled over to pick up a stray baseball from his bedroom floor and started to throw it in the air, tossing it up toward the ceiling and then catching it. Several times it hit the ceiling above him, but he tried to control the throw so that the ball's trajectory would take it just below the ceiling before dropping again. 

The task occupied him until his phone rang again fifteen minutes later.

"Hey, what took so long?"

 _"I've never had it!"_ Oikawa exploded, making Hajime wince and pull the phone away from his ear.

"Uh, what?"

 _"Mama says we never caught it!"_ he wailed. He was slightly out of breath, as though he'd been running, or perhaps he was just that angry. _"And then she said I'm not allowed to come and see you, because exams are coming up and she won't let me miss any school!"_

Hajime closed his eyes. He'd expected that, but it still stung. "She's right," he said, forcing his voice to remain even. "You need to focus, not be sick in bed—"

 _"I don't care!"_ Oikawa snapped. _"I want to see you! We were supposed to—to talk about things, after yesterday—"_

"I know," Hajime said, groaning. "I _know_ , okay? I hate it too. But it's not like we can't talk over the phone, and it's only for a few days."

 _"A week,"_ Oikawa said sulkily. 

Hajime sighed. "A week, and that's only _if_ I catch it. I might not."

 _"Right,"_ Oikawa muttered.

"You're being an idiot," Hajime said, fondness creeping into his voice. 

Oikawa groaned. _"I don't care. I had plans for us."_

"Yeah."

 _"Well, you'll just have to do your best not to get sick, Iwa-chan,"_ Oikawa said in an imperious voice. _"Put poor Chiakkun in quarantine, I need you well."_

Hajime let out an agonised laugh. "I told you, moron, I have to look after him. Mom's got work, and I have to give him medicine and stuff. Plus, you _know_ how clingy and pathetic he gets when he's sick." Hajime smirked. "Like someone else I know." 

_"I'm ignoring that,"_ Oikawa grumbled. _"Just come outside for thirty seconds, alright? I'll be there in a couple of minutes."_

Hajime sat bolt upright. "You're what?"

But Oikawa had already hung up. Hajime dropped his phone on the bed and charged back down the stairs. He heard his mother shout behind him, but he was already out the front door, running out onto the front path with bare feet. 

"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa called, waving an arm wildly in the air. He was still several houses away, jogging closer. 

Hajime started to wave back, but then a sharp voice behind him sent a bolt of ice down his spine. 

"Iwaizumi Hajime!"

He turned, cringing, and found his mother in the doorway, watching him with her hands planted on her hips and a furious look on her face.

"Mom—"

"Inside," she snapped, stepping out and holding the door open for him. " _Now_."

Hajime's shoulders fell. He trudged back toward the house, and paused on the doorstep to look over his shoulder. Oikawa stood at the gate, watching him with a devastated expression. Hajime shrugged at him, then darted inside, away from the wrath of his mother, whose furious gaze was burning a hole in the back of his neck. As soon as he was in, Mayumi slammed the door behind him and turned on Oikawa. Pressing his ear to the door, Hajime could hear her telling Oikawa in no uncertain terms that he would _not_ be visiting that week, not until Hajime and Chiaki were both well again. 

"Nii-chan?" Chiaki murmured.

Turning, Hajime saw his little brother standing in the doorway to the kitchen, leaning heavily on the doorframe. Hajime's annoyance drained away at the sight of Chiaki looking so pathetic, and his stomach twisted with guilt for having been angry with him. He went over and crouched down in front of him. "What is it, kiddo?" he asked, reaching up to brush Chiaki's hair off his forehead. He was hot and clammy to the touch, and his eyelids were drooping. "You don't look so good."

Chiaki shook his head. "Don't feel good," he mumbled. 

"Alright," Hajime sighed. He put Chiaki's arms around his neck, then bent down to pick him up. "Oof—you're too heavy for this now, you know?"

"Mm," Chiaki hummed, snuggling into his shoulder. 

"Uh huh. You want the bed or the couch?"

Chiaki shrugged. 

"Bed then," Hajime said, starting toward the stairs.

"No!" Chiaki said, tugging on Hajime's t-shirt. "Couch. I wanna watch Jurassic Park again." 

Hajime rolled his eyes. "Fine, couch for now. But if Mom says you have to go to bed, then you go to bed."

Chiaki just shrugged again. 

"Come on, lie down and I'll get the movie set up." Hajime deposited his brother carefully on the couch, then went over to the window. 

Oikawa was still standing by the gate, and as Hajime watched, his mother patted Oikawa on the shoulder before turning to walk inside. Before he left, Oikawa glanced over at the window, and when he caught Hajime's eye, he forced a smile that made him look vaguely ill. Hajime rolled his eyes, and made a rude gesture with his hand that finally made Oikawa's smile look a little more genuine. 

_Call me_ , Hajime mouthed, holding his hand up to his face to mimic a phone.

Oikawa nodded sulkily. 

"Nii-chan?" Chiaki whined. "I'm thirsty."

Hajime turned his back on Oikawa. "Alright, kiddo. Operation: Make Chiaki Better begins now. You want juice or water?"

 

 

The next morning, Hajime woke up with an itch between his shoulder blades. Chiaki had crept into his bed during the night, and Hajime rolled him over with a sigh before tiptoeing to the bathroom to pee. The itch between his shoulders was already starting to drive him crazy; no matter how he turned and twisted, he couldn't _quite_ reach it. 

Chiaki was still asleep when Hajime staggered back to his room. He thought about carrying him back to his own bed, but he was strangely lightheaded and sluggish, unsteady on his feet. Hajime climbed back into bed instead, letting Chiaki curl into him to steal his warmth. 

When he woke again a short while later, Chiaki was still plastered against his side, and the itch between his shoulders was worse than ever. Hajime extricated himself clumsily, and this time Chiaki woke up, blinking sleep-heavy eyes at him. 

"H'lo nii-chan," he mumbled.

"Hello. What did Mom and Dad say about sharing beds?"

Chiaki pouted. "But I couldn't sleep."

Hajime sighed; he didn't really have the heart to tell him off. "Just don't let them catch you again, okay? You're supposed to sleep in your own bed."

"I know," Chiaki grumbled. 

"Hey, can you check my back for me?" Hajime asked, pulling Chiaki into a sitting position. He twisted around and pointed over his head. "Right there. See anything?"

Chiaki shuffled closer, then he pressed his clammy hands against Hajime's bare back as he leaned in to check. 

"Oh!" he yelped, starting to giggle. "You have chicken pox too!"

Hajime groaned. "Great."

"No school, no school!" Chiaki chanted. 

Hajime swiped at him half-heartedly.

"Boys!" Mayumi's voice echoed from downstairs. "Are you up?"

"Yeah!" they both called back in unison. 

"Go eat something," Hajime said, giving Chiaki a gentle push toward the edge of the bed. He reached over to grab his phone. "I'm gonna text Oikawa."

Chiaki rolled his eyes. "He won't die if you don't text him, you know."

Hajime stared at him. "Hey!" he snarled, but his mouth curled into a smirk without his permission. "Who did you hear that from? Mom?"

"I'm just saying," Chiaki said, sighing heavily as he slid off the bed. "Tooru _always_ wants to talk to you."

"Aw, Chiakkun," Hajime said, tossing his phone aside and getting to his feet. He grabbed Chiaki from behind, scooping him up in his arms, and Chiaki yelled with laughter. "Are you jealous of me and Tooru?" he teased, rubbing his face into Chiaki's neck. 

"No! Stop!" Chiaki yelled, helpless with giggles.

Mayumi appeared on the stairs. "Hey," she said in a stern voice, her smile belying the severity. "I thought you two were supposed to be sick."

Chiaki gasped, and elbowed Hajime sharply in the chest so that he would put him down. "We are!" he protested, as Hajime groaned and lowered him to the floor.

"Chiakkun," Hajime chided, rubbing his solar plexus with a rueful expression. "Take it easy."

"Nii-chan's got a chicken pox!" Chiaki yelled, reaching for their mother's arm. "On his back, come see!" 

"Hey, shut it—"

"Don't be mean to your little brother." Mayumi twirled her finger, and Hajime scowled before reluctantly turning around. Her cool fingertips brushed his shoulder, and then she sighed and turned him around again. "Yep, looks like a chicken pox to me."

Hajime groaned. "I already hate this."

"It's just for a few days, sweetheart," Mayumi said, patting his cheek with one hand and ruffling Chiaki's hair with the other. "Come and eat some breakfast, and then you two can make a den on the couch again if you like."

Chiaki bounced on his heels. "Can we watch movies again?" he asked, tired face lighting up. 

"It's up to your brother," Mayumi said, glancing at Hajime. "But you both need _rest_. So no playing games and watching TV all day again, okay?"

They both mumbled their agreement, and Mayumi beamed at them. "Good. Oh, and Hajime, go and text Oikawa, will you? He was over here before school asking after you."

"Oh...yeah," Hajime muttered. He caught Chiaki smirking at him, and stuck out his tongue in response. 

 

 

By the time they'd finished breakfast, Hajime was starting to feel sticky and lethargic. Mayumi took his temperature, and then Chiaki's again, tutting at them both before bundling them up on the couch with a blanket and a bottle of water each. 

"Make sure you drink a lot while I'm gone, alright?" she asked, bending down to peer into Hajime's face. "I left some soup in the fridge, so heat that up for your lunch, okay?"

"Yeah, Mom," Hajime droned, huffing in annoyance when she leaned in to kiss his forehead. 

She sighed. "And take more medicine at twelve."

"I know."

She raised a finger and pointed at them both. "And _no_ Tooru."

Chiaki stifled a giggle in the blanket, and Hajime reached over to tickle him as punishment. When the fight had been settled, and Mayumi had left them with a sigh and a roll of her eyes to go and get ready for work, Hajime pulled the blanket up over them again and passed the TV remote to Chiaki. As they got comfortable, Chiaki's kitten To-chan jumped up between them, and began to walk back and forth over their laps, looking for a cosy place to settle down. 

With his brother adequately distracted, Hajime finally retrieved his phone from the pocket of his pyjama pants to read his messages. 

"What the—" he mumbled, staring at the notifications informing him that he had three missed calls and eighteen new texts. "Shittykawa—"

He glanced over, but Chiaki was already engrossed in the cartoon he'd chosen, his eyes heavy as he slowly melted into the couch. Satisfied that he wasn't going to try and spy, Hajime opened his conversation with Oikawa to read it. 

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_Good morning Iwa-chaaaan~ (*°▽°*)_  
_How're you feeling??_  
_Any sign of the plague?_  
_You'd better not still be asleep, lazy-chan!! ( ` ω ´ )_  
_Iwa-chan_  
_Iwaaaaaaa_  
_I'm coming to get you up. No spots, no skipping! ٩(๑`^´๑)۶_  
_Almost there!!_  
_Aunty won't let me in (｡╯︵╰｡)_  
_Iwa (｡╯︵╰｡)_  
_I'm late for school (；￣Д￣)_  
_Augh!_  
_Coach Mizoguchi yelled at meeeee_  
_Makki and Mattsun won't stop asking where you are, I think they think they're your parents_  
_Mattsun would be a terrible father_  
_How do you solve for x here?_  
_[img]_  
_Iwaiwaiwaiwaiwaiwaiwaiwa_

When he'd finished scrolling through, Hajime covered his face with a groan. "Shittykawa," he sighed under his breath. 

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_OH MY GOD_  
_SHUT UP SHITYKAWA_

Oikawa replied almost immediately. He must have had his phone on his desk, or maybe in his pocket. Hajime was a little touched that Oikawa would risk detention for him, but mostly annoyed about it.

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_Iwa-chan!! ヽ(o＾▽＾o)ノ_

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_i have a temperature_  
_have to stay home_

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_Nooooo_

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_make it up to u this weekend_

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_Promise? ☆ ～('▽^人)_

Hajime groaned. Letting himself get cornered into owing Oikawa a favour was usually a terrible idea.

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_if mom says ok yeah_

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_Oops got to go! Call you later~_  
_PS I miss you!!_

Hajime rolled his eyes, cheeks flushing. He quickly deleted Oikawa's last message. 

"Nii-chan," Chiaki mumbled as Hajime finally put his phone aside. "I'm thirsty."

"Drink your water," Hajime said, nudging the bottle toward him. 

Chiaki grimaced. "My throat hurts."

Sighing, Hajime levered himself up from the couch. Perhaps it was just that he hadn't really exercised for a couple of days, but his limbs were stiff and achy. He staggered through to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of oranges from the fridge, which he cut into wedges and tipped into a bowl. After a moment's consideration, he grabbed a kitchen towel, knowing Chiaki's propensity for making a mess of himself. Next he checked the freezer. There were no popsicles left, but there was an ice cube mold of little stars and moon shapes which was half full. He popped them out into another bowl, then refilled the tray and stuck it back in the freezer. 

When he walked back in, Chiaki was idly scratching his chest through his pyjama top with a sullen expression on his face.

"Hey," Hajime said sternly. "Mom said no scratching."

Chiaki groaned. "But I'm itchy."

Hajime rolled his eyes again. "Alright, lemme see if I can find something to stop it itching so bad. Rub an ice cube on it if it's bothering you."

Chiaki's nose wrinkled, but he reached out for an ice cube after a moment and shoved it up under his t-shirt. 

"Better?"

Chiaki shrugged.

"Alright, back in a minute."

In the bathroom upstairs, Hajime found some antihistamine gel left over from when they'd first adopted the kitten, and Chiaki had broken out in a rash every time she needled him with her tiny claws or teeth. His allergy had settled down after a couple of months, but even if it hadn't, Hajime was sure his parents wouldn't have been able to take the cat away from him. While he was upstairs, Hajime also grabbed the cuddle toy shark from his bed. It was old and had seen better days, but he couldn't bear to part with it, and Chiaki loved it anyway.

With an acceptable amount of complaining, Hajime managed to cover Chiaki's itchy spots with the antihistamine gel, before wrestling him back into his pyjamas. His spots were still sparse, but much more prevalent than the two or three he'd had the day before. Hajime winced at the thought that he was going to look the same in a couple of days. A part of him was a little resentful about having to take care of Chiaki, when all he wanted to do was crawl into bed himself and talk to Oikawa and take a nap. 

 

 

They finally got their chance to talk later that night. Without school or volleyball, the day seemed to stretch out endlessly. Hajime and Chiaki had spent it watching movies, before taking a long nap in the afternoon. Their dad had come home bearing pizza and popsicles, and the boys had sleepily indulged before Hajime crept away to call Oikawa. 

_"Iwa-chan! I just got home from practice."_

"I know," Hajime said, glancing at the clock in his room. "How was it?"

 _"Long and dull,"_ Oikawa said, sighing. _"How was your day?"_

"The same."

 _"My poor Iwa-chan,"_ Oikawa cooed.

Hajime cleared his throat. "Hey, about tomorrow—"

 _"Forget it,"_ Oikawa said quickly. _"It doesn't matter."_

"It does," Hajime insisted. "I wanted to see you too."

 _"But we can't!"_ Oikawa's voice was false, too cheerful. _"It's okay, Iwa-chan, you can't help being sick. We'll do something on Saturday instead."_

Hajime groaned and flopped back on his bed. "I wanna see you now."

Oikawa was quiet for a moment. _"Me too,"_ he said at last. _"Iwa-chan,"_ he ventured, voice uncharacteristically shy. _"About what happened on Sunday..."_

Hajime swallowed thickly. His face heated. "Uh—yeah?" 

_"Are you—"_ Oikawa began awkwardly. _"Is that the first time you've—"_

Hajime's blush deepened. "Well...yeah."

 _"Oh,"_ Oikawa said, his voice going squeaky and dumb. _"Okay."_

"What?" Hajime asked defensively. "Was it that bad?"

 _"No!"_ Oikawa said quickly. _"Don't be silly, Iwa-chan. I was just curious."_

"You mean nosy." Hajime snorted. "As if I'd get away with kissing someone without you knowing about it."

Oikawa was quiet for several moments. _"I wish I could kiss you right now, Iwa-chan."_

Hajime laughed. "No you don't. I'm all sweaty and gross."

_"Maybe I like that."_

"Alright," Hajime said, grinning. "I'll remember that next time you complain about how bad I smell after practice."

Oikawa groaned. _"You're the worst."_

"No, you're the worst."

_"Am not."_

"Am too."

Oikawa laughed. _"You sound terrible, you know. You should have another nap."_

"Alright. Get Hanamaki to bring me the homework tomorrow, would you? The last thing I need is to get even more behind."

 _"I'll do my best!"_ Oikawa chirped. _"Night, Iwa-chan."_

 

 

As predicted, Hajime was worse the next day, and Chiaki was covered head to toe in spots that he couldn't stop scratching. To distract him, Hajime set up his old playstation and they spent a few hours playing through a game together, but by mid afternoon Chiaki was restless and grumpy, and too worked up to take a nap. Hajime longed for a breath of fresh air. 

To make it worse, Oikawa was apparently feeling the pain of their separation more acutely, given that he _wouldn't stop texting_. Hearing from him was nice at first, distracting Hajime from his own itchy spots and aching joints, but as the day dragged on, Oikawa's constant pining complaints became infuriating. 

"We're going for a walk," Hajime snarled at last, jumping up from the couch and dislodging To-chan, who jumped away with a low grumble. "Up you get, Chiakkun."

Chiaki blinked up at him. "Mom said we have to stay inside."

"Nope," Hajime said, putting his hands on his hips. "We just have to stay away from other people. Come on, we'll just walk to the park and back."

Reluctantly, Chiaki got up from the couch. "I dunno if we should go," he mumbled. "Mom said—"

Hajime scowled. "I don't care what Mom said, I'm in charge."

With a great deal more complaining, Hajime managed to get Chiaki dressed in some clean sweatpants and a jumper, and bundled him up in a scarf and hat so that his chicken pox were barely visible. Chiaki blinked up at him, dark eyes accusing. 

"Shush," Hajime grumbled, buttoning his own coat. 

"I didn't say anything!" Chiaki protested. 

"I can hear you thinking."

Chiaki's eyebrows lowered. "No you can't," he muttered in a mutinous voice.

Both dressed, Hajime grabbed his wallet and led them outside. His mother rarely let them keep junk food in the house, and Hajime was desperate for a sugary snack. If they walked to the convenience store just beyond the park, he could get Chiaki another popsicle too, as between them they'd already plowed through the box their dad brought. 

But they'd only gotten as far as the gate when Hajime heard an ominous sound. 

"Hajime, Chiakkun—where do you think you're going?"

Both boys froze, and Hajime's shoulders jumped up to his ears at the sound of his father's voice. 

"H-hi, Dad," he said, turning to see him walking toward them. "What're you doing home?"

"I forgot my laptop." Shuuji didn't look angry at least, mostly puzzled. "What's going on?"

"Nii-chan's making us go to the park," Chiaki said in a sulky voice. 

Hajime glared at him. "Hey!"

Shuuji frowned at them. "I see. I'm pretty sure your mother doesn't want you going to the park in this state."

"Dad, we're _fine_ ," Hajime groaned. 

"Uh huh. Chiakkun, did you want to go to the park?"

Chiaki shook his head firmly.

Shuuji sighed, and gave Hajime a _look_. He didn't do The Look as well as their mother, but it was effective all the same. 

"Dad, I'm going crazy!" Hajime groaned. "I was just gonna take him to the park and back—"

"I don't wanna go to the park!" Chiaki whined

"And we're out of popsicles anyway—"

"I'm _sick_ of eating popsicles."

"Chiakkun, shut up!"

"Alright, alright," Shuuji said, holding up his hands. "Back inside, both of you."

"But Dad—"

Shuuji shook his head. "I don't have time to argue with you both, I have to get back to work. Inside, now."

Grumbling, Hajime turned and trudged back inside, with Chiaki skipping at his heels. 

"Da—ad," Chiaki whined, as he struggled out of his coat and scarf. "I'm hungry."

"Hajime, make something for your brother, okay?"

Hajime scowled, and threw his own coat on the floor. "He's old enough to make it himself," he called out as his father disappeared into another room to hunt for his computer.

"Then why don't you show him how?" Shuuji called back, his voice infuriatingly calm. 

"Ugh!" Hajime exclaimed, kicking off his sneakers. "I'm not his dad! It's bad enough I'm sick because of him, I can't do anything I wanted to this week, I can't see Oikawa, and now I have to look after Chiakkun like he's a baby?"

Silence followed his words, then Shuuji called back, "Sorry, Son, what was that?"

" _Nothing,_ " Hajime shouted, furious. He turned, ready to storm off to his bedroom, but found Chiaki standing by the stairs. He was still wearing his hat and scarf, and watching Hajime with wide, frightened eyes. 

Hajime's stomach turned in on itself. "Chiakkun, hey—"

"'m not a baby," Chiaki mumbled. Tears were gathering in the corner of his eyes. 

"No, I-I know you're not."

Chiaki sniffed loudly. He yanked his hat off, and pulled on the end of his scarf. "If you hate me so much, why don't you move in with Tooru-nii instead," he said, his voice turning spiteful. 

Hajime groaned. "I don't hate you, Chiakkun."

"You hate looking after me!" Chiaki yelled back, giving his tangled scarf a fruitless tug. "Well I hate you too!"

"Chiakkun—"

Still wearing his scarf, Chiaki turned and bolted up the stairs. 

Hajime let out a loud groan, putting his hands over his face. "Fuck," he said emphatically. 

His father appeared in the hallway and looked at him, then at the pile of coats on the floor. "Everything alright?"

"Fine," Hajime said through gritted teeth.

Shuuji clapped him on the shoulder. "I'd better get back to work, don't forget to give Chiakkun his medicine."

Hajime seethed. He forced himself to breathe out slowly. "I know."

"See you later then."

With that, he was gone. Hajime pulled out his phone. 

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_I miss yoouuuu_  
_Don't ignore me lazy-chan!!_  
_School is so boring_  
_Makki and Mattsun are so boring to tease_  
_Iwa-chaaan_  
_Iwaaaaa_

Hajime sighed and texted him back. 

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_hey_  
_need a favour_

 

 

Chiaki wouldn't come out of his room for the rest of the afternoon, and Hajime knew better than to force his way in. He made Chiaki some noodle soup instead, and tried to tidy up the mess they'd made in the living room, picking up empty popsicle wrappers and energy drink bottles. He didn't hear Chiaki's door open, but when he went back upstairs an hour later, the empty bowl was back on the tray outside the door, and the orange wedges had been sucked dry. 

"Hey, Chiakkun?" Hajime said softly, knocking on the door with the back of his knuckles. "Chiakkun, I'm sorry I yelled." There was no answer for a minute or two, and eventually Hajime sighed and tried again. "I'm sorry I said mean things, Chiakkun. Can you let me in?"

A few more moments of silence passed, and then Chiaki scrambled over to the door. "Say I'm not a baby," came his sullen voice. 

Hajime closed his eyes, suppressing a smile. "You're not a baby," he said. "I'm sorry for saying that."

Chiaki paused to consider this. "And I'm not useless, I can do stuff."

"I know you can," Hajime said, his stomach twisting horribly. "You can do lots of stuff."

Finally, Chiaki opened the door a few centimetres. Cautiously, Hajime reached out and pushed it open a short way. 

"Can I come in?"

Chiaki nodded. 

Hajime dropped down to a crouch, and reached up to wipe Chiaki's wet cheek with his sleeve. "Want a hug?"

Chiaki nodded again, and Hajime swept him up into a huge bear hug, picking him up off his feet.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," Hajime said, squeezing him tightly. "You're the best little brother in the whole world."

"P-promise?" Chiaki asked, sniffing loudly. 

Hajime nodded. "Way better than anyone else's stupid little brothers."

Chiaki sniffed, considering this. "Isn't Tooru-nii a little brother too?"

Hajime started laughing. "Yeah, he is. And you're a hundred times better than him." A little shiver of guilt ran through him for betraying Oikawa so, but he would make it up to him later. "Hey," Hajime said, pulling back to look Chiaki in the eye. "Don't tell Tooru though, okay? It would hurt his feelings."

Chiaki nodded solemnly. "It's okay, I know you like him best. He was here first."

"Hey now," Hajime said, reaching up to nudge Chiaki's nose with a fingertip. "I don't like either one of you best. I like you different, that's all."

"Oh," Chiaki said, expression clearing. "Because Tooru's your boyfriend."

Hajime reared backward, eyes widening. His stomach turned itself into a knot. "Uh— what?" he asked weakly. "Where did you hear that?"

"Well, isn't he?" Chiaki asked, peering at Hajime. "You're _always_ together, and Tooru is always trying to hold your hand and stuff."

"He doesn't hold my hand!" Hajime protested, face flaming.

Chiaki snorted. "O _kay_ ," he said sarcastically. "He was holding your hand on Sunday."

Hajime groaned and covered his face. "Oh, fuck." Oikawa _had_ taken his hand, when they got home from the park. It was only for a few moments, and Hajime had been sure Chiaki was distracted by the TV at the time.

"I'm not gonna tell anyone," Chiaki said, pouting. "I can keep a secret."

"I know you can," Hajime sighed. He put his hands on Chiaki's shoulders, squeezing his upper arms gently. "Me and Tooru—we're just friends right now—"

Chiaki wrinkled his nose. "But—"

"Hold on. We like each other a lot, so maybe we'll decide to be boyfriends, but you can't tell anyone about that, okay?"

"Not even Take-chan?"

"Not even Take-chan," Hajime confirmed. He frowned, trying to find the right words. "When people like each other—it's up to them to tell other people, when they're ready. Okay?"

Chiaki nodded. "Okay."

Hajime grinned. "See? Best little brother. Wanna go play some more Final Fantasy?"

"Yeah!" Chiaki said, baring his own gap-toothed grin. 

They traipsed back downstairs, and Hajime retrieved To-chan from where she'd gone to sleep on a pile of laundry. He slumped down on the couch, with Chiaki draped across his lap and To-chan curled up on Chiaki, and together they played through the game for a couple more hours until the doorbell rang. 

Chiaki lifted his head, blinking sleepily. "Who's that?"

Before Hajime could answer, his phone started ringing. He picked it up and smiled when he saw who it was. 

"Hey, dopeykawa."

_"Iwa-chan, don't be mean when I'm being so nice to you!"_

Hajime grinned and tapped Chiaki's shoulder. "Let me up, it's Oikawa at the door."

Chiaki grimaced. "But Mom said—"

"It's okay," Hajime said quickly. "He's not coming in."

 _"Iwa-chan, hurry up!"_ Oikawa whined in his ear. _"They're going to melt."_

"I'm coming, go stand by the gate."

Hanging up the phone, Hajime jumped up from the couch and ran to the door. On the doorstep sat a carrier bag from the convenience store, and he snatched it up before looking up to find Oikawa standing by the gate, expression mournful. 

"Hey," Hajime called out, shoving his free hand in the pocket of his pyjama pants. "Stop loitering."

Oikawa pouted at him. "Is that all the thanks I get?"

Hajime grinned. "Yup." He stepped back and closed the door, just slowly enough to hear Oikawa's indignant squawk at being shut out. 

When he was back on the couch, munching on a kitkat and watching Chiaki devour a grape popsicle, Hajime pulled out his phone again.

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_thank u really_  
_i'll make it up to u_

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_GOOD_  
_I can't stop thinking about kissing you_

Hajime's face got hot, and he angled the screen away from Chiaki. 

_**From Ace Iwaizumi** _  
_me neither_  
_but i'm gross at the moment_

_**From Idiotkawa** _  
_I don't care_

Aware that he had a stupid smile on his face, Hajime tucked his phone away again and put his arm around Chiaki, moving closer to him on the couch. He still felt a little sick over what he'd said earlier, but Chiaki seemed content to forgive and forget. 

After a little while, the rhythm of the game's music began to make him feel sleepy, and eventually he dozed off, with Chiaki still curled up by his side. 

 

 

The next couple of days passed in a haze. Hajime got more ill and tired, and on Thursday afternoon Oikawa's mother came over to look in on them. 

"Oh, Hajime-chan," she sighed when he opened the door to greet her. She pulled him into a hug and squeezed him tightly. "How are you, dear?"

Hajime shrugged. "Eh."

She nodded sympathetically. "And how's Chiaki-chan doing?"

"A little better," Hajime said, valiantly resisting the urge to scratch the spots on the back of his neck, which had suddenly started to itch terribly. He'd had to put mittens on Chiaki that morning to stop him from scratching, and he was beginning to think he'd have to do the same to himself. "How's Oikawa?"

Saya rolled her eyes. "What a fuss, you'd think you were _dying_ , or he was."

Hajime laughed, but he couldn't help the flutter of panic at the back of his mind. He wasn't ready for their parents to find out about them. He wasn't sure he ever would be. He'd have to tell Oikawa to tone it down. 

"Sweetheart, you don't look well at all," Saya said, reaching out to rest the back of her hand on his forehead. Her touch was cool and comforting, and Hajime instantly felt eight years old again, being taken care of by Oikawa's mother when he'd fallen sick once at a sleepover. "Why don't you get back in bed, and I'll keep your brother occupied for a couple of hours?"

Hajime gave her a weak smile. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not," Saya said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Get some rest, alright? I'll watch Chiaki until your father gets home."

When Hajime woke from his nap, it was much later, and he could sense someone sitting on the end of his bed. He pushed himself up on his elbows, squinting in the darkness. 

"Chiakkun?"

"Iwa-chan!"

Hajime's eyes widened. "Oikawa?" 

"You're awake at last," Oikawa said in a put-upon voice. "I've been waiting _ages_." He shuffled closer and put his hand on Hajime's arm. "Are you feeling better?" 

"Kinda," Hajime mumbled. He sat up slowly, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes. "Wait, what the hell are you doing here?" he asked, looking round suddenly. "Is your mom still here?"

Oikawa waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Oh, she let me come."

Hajime squinted at him. "Yeah right."

"She did!"

"You must have complained a _lot_."

Oikawa grinned. " _So_ much." He shuffled closer again, practically sitting in Hajime's lap. "I missed you."

"You see me every day," Hajime grumbled, pushing him away and turning his face to hide how red it was. He had gotten too hot, thanks to his lingering fever, and was only wearing his underwear beneath the thin sheets. It was the closest to naked he'd been around Oikawa since before Sunday. Since before _the kiss_. "Get off my bed."

"No!" Oikawa said, scooting forward. He draped himself over Hajime's lap, and pouted up at him.

"What are you, a cat?" Hajime asked, scowling at him. "We've already got one of those, thanks."

Oikawa smirked. "If I'm a cat, can I sit on your lap?"

Hajime's flush deepened. "No!" 

"Meow?"

Hajime groaned. "Oikawa, come on. You're gonna catch this if you don't go soon, and then you'll be _really_ sorry."

Oikawa just shrugged, digging his elbow into Hajime's hip in the process. "I don't care. I wasn't going to wait another three days to kiss you. We already missed Valentines Day!"

"Uhh—" Hajime reared back, finally unsettling Oikawa from his lazy position. "What? Y-you don't wanna kiss me looking like this."

"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa said, scrambling up to him. He crouched beside Hajime on the bed, so close that their noses were almost touching. "Of course I want to kiss you."

Hajime's entire head flushed red. This couldn't be good for his fever. Still, he felt a little better when he noticed that Oikawa was blushing too. 

"Even—like this?" he muttered, gesturing to his face, marred by red spots and streaks of antihistamine cream. 

Oikawa nodded solemnly.

Hajime groaned and covered his face. "Okay," he mumbled.

"R-really?" Oikawa asked, sounding breathless.

"Yeah," Hajime sighed, dropping his hands. "But just a quick one, I need a shower."

Oikawa sat back with a groan. "Iwa-cha—an, don't make me think about you in the _shower_."

"Don't think about that!" Hajime hissed, yanking the sheets up to cover himself. 

"I can't help it!"

"Boys!" Hajime's mother's voice carried up the stairs to them, and they both sat upright, matching guilty expressions on their faces. "Hajime? Are you up?"

"Uh, kinda!" Hajime called back.

"It's time for Tooru to go home now, you and Chiaki need a bath!"

Hajime and Oikawa let out agonised groans. Ears burning, Hajime leaned over and thumped Oikawa in the shoulder. "Stop picturing it!"

"I _can't_ ," Oikawa wailed. 

"You're the worst," Hajime grumbled. He grabbed Oikawa by the front of his t-shirt. "If you're going to kiss me, then do it."

Oikawa blinked at him. "Now?"

"You heard the woman."

"Alright, alright," Oikawa said, closing his eyes. He leaned forward, pursing his lips. 

Hajime wanted to laugh at him more than he wanted to kiss him in that moment, but he stifled the urge to giggle and leaned in too.

The kiss was soft and short, and not terribly special, but when Hajime pulled away a few moments later, Oikawa was blushing and looking away, eyelashes fluttering as he blinked rapidly. It made his stomach turn over pleasantly. 

"Ugh," Hajime said, in general protest at finding _Oikawa_ attractive. 

Oikawa met his eyes, his own wide and anxious. "Ugh?"

"Not you," Hajime said, and frowned. "I mean—it is you, but it's not about kissing you. I liked that part."

Oikawa's expression softened. "Me too. Wait, which part was 'ugh' then?"

"Oops, time for you to leave—"

"Iwa-chan!"

 

 

By the following Monday, Hajime and Chiaki were both well enough to go back to school. Oikawa, on the other hand, had been in bed with a fever all weekend. 

"Nii-chan, are you going to see Tooru?" Chiaki asked, tugging on Hajime's arm as Hajime walked him to the leisure centre after school. "Can I come?"

Hajime shook his head. "What about swimming class?"

Chiaki groaned. "I don't wanna go, I want to come with you."

"It's gonna be really boring," Hajime said, reaching over to ruffle Chiaki's hair. "I'm just gonna make him soup, and then he'll probably fall asleep on me."

"Fine," Chiaki muttered.

"And you love swimming," Hajime reminded him, tugging him closer. "You get to see Takeru and Yue."

Chiaki groaned. "Fine."

"There we go."

After Hajime had dripped Chiaki off at his class, he went via the convenience store to Oikawa's house. When he got there, Takeru answered the door. 

"Hey, tiger," Hajime said, ruffling Takeru's hair as he stepped inside. "Chiakkun's expecting to see you at swimming class."

Takeru pouted. "Mom sent me over to catch Tooru's chicken pox."

"I see. So where is his highness?"

"Here," came a mournful voice from across the hall. Oikawa stood in the kitchen doorway, his fringe pulled back with a headband, and a huge blanket draped around his shoulders. 

Hajime burst out laughing. 

"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa screeched, dry voice cracking on the sound. 

Hajime couldn't speak, doubling over with laughter. He held out a shaking hand, offering the convenience store bag to Takeru. 

"Give me that," Oikawa snapped, grabbing it from him. He peered inside, and his face immediately brightened. "Ooh, presents!" He trotted off to the other room, with Takeru trudging behind him.

Hajime picked himself up and followed. 

"Iwa-chan, what's this?"

"From some girls at school," Hajime said, wiping his eyes as he followed them in. "How do they even know you're sick?"

"Instagram," Takeru said solemnly. 

"Takeru," Oikawa sighed. "Fetch your uncle some tea, won't you?"

"Oi," Hajime said, reaching over to cuff Oikawa round the head. "Get it yourself."

"Iwa-chan, ow! I'm sick!" He glanced at Takeru. "Besides, it's good for him. It builds character."

Takeru rolled his eyes. "Tooru, don't talk like granddad."

"Take-chan, I'm dying!"

"No you're not."

"I could be."

"You're just whiny."

"Am not!"

" _Enough_ ," Hajime growled. "Shut up both of you. Takeru, put a movie on. Oikawa, come with me."

Takeru groaned. "Alright."

Hajime got up and stalked to the kitchen, with Oikawa trailing him like a big, complaining ghost. 

"Iwa-chan—"

"In my bag," Hajime said, slinging it off his shoulder and onto the counter. "But don't eat it all at once, and you have to share the popsicles with Takeru."

Watching him curiously, Oikawa pulled open his bag and started to dig through it. "Milk bread!" he squeaked in delight, before clapping a hand over his mouth and casting Hajime an evil glance. "Don't say a word. My throat is in ribbons."

Hajime grinned at him. "I'm not saying anything."

"Good."

"I'm recording it though—"

"Iwa-chan!"

Hajime laughed, and moved over to pull Oikawa closer by his blanket. "Hey," he murmured, leaning in to nuzzle Oikawa's jaw with the tip of his nose. "How long are we babysitting for?"

Oikawa made a soft, breathy sound, tilting his head to the side to let Hajime in. "I—I don't know," he murmured faintly. "A couple of hours? Nee-chan didn't say."

"Maybe I can hang around," Hajime whispered, slipping his hands inside Oikawa's blanket. "Help you catch up on your homework."

"T-tell me you don't actually mean h-homework," Oikawa said, gasping when Hajime's cold fingers touched his waist. 

"I could be persuaded," Hajime said, lips hovering by Oikawa's ear. "But I'm not scratching your spots for you."

Oikawa laughed. "Then how about—"

They were interrupted by a comically loud throat-clearing sound, and they sprang apart from one another guiltily before Hajime noticed Takeru standing in the doorway.

"Uh—"

Takeru gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Can't you guys wait until I'm gone to make out?"

"Take-chan!" Oikawa squawked. 

Hajime grinned despite his red face. "Uh, yeah. Sorry, Takeru."

Takeru sighed. "It's fine." He walked past them to grab a bottle of juice from out of the fridge, then turned and walked back into the other room. 

They both waited until they heard the door close behind him, before erupting into stifled giggles. 

"S-so," Oikawa said, snorting with laughter. "I guess—Take-chan knows now?"

"Uh, yeah," Hajime said, with a guilty glance at the door. "Actually, Chiakkun does too."

Oikawa covered his face. "Perfect."

"If it helps, I don't think they'll tell."

"I know," Oikawa sighed. He leaned back against the counter, and gave Hajime a lopsided smile. "If Take-chan knows, does that mean you'll snuggle me?"

"I don't think he'd appreciate that."

"I don't care!" Oikawa said loudly. "I'm older!" 

Hajime rolled his eyes. "You can put your head on my lap. Final offer."

Oikawa raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really?"

"Shut up."

"I mean—"

"Nope. Shut it."

Oikawa grinned. He spread his arms and engulfed Hajime with them, blanket and all. "Thanks for agreeing to be my boyfriend, Iwa-chan," he murmured, clutching him tightly and smushing their faces together tightly. "I don't mind that we missed Valentines Day."

"You don't?" Hajime asked, shoving him back a little so that he had room to breathe.

Oikawa shook his head. "We caught the same gross disease! And you still want to kiss me. That's _way_ more romantic than chocolate."

"There's something seriously wrong with you," Hajime said affectionately, leaning in to kiss the end of Oikawa's nose. It tasted faintly like antihistamine cream, but he didn't really care. "We should probably get in there and stop torturing your nephew."

"Mm, probably." Oikawa sighed. "But first thing's first. You haven't kissed me yet."

"I just did!" 

"Properly," Oikawa said, pulling him closer again. "Unless you think I'm too hideous to—"

Hajime yanked him forward by the collar of his pyjama top and kissed him soundly. He didn't yet have much to compare it to, but he was fairly sure that this was their best kiss yet. Oikawa's mouth was soft under his own, his lower lip dry and chapped when Hajime ran his tongue over it, and the way he sighed and leaned closer made Hajime's stomach twist up nervously.

"I know you're kissing in there!" Takeru yelled from the other room.

"Shut _up_ , Take-chan!" Oikawa shrieked back, ruining the moment completely. 

Hajime slung an arm around Oikawa's shoulders and hid a grin in his hair. "Come on," he said. "We can pick this up later."

"Promise?"

"Yeah. Promise."

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://notallballs.tumblr.com) | [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/notallbees) | [my iwaoi fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works?utf8=%E2%9C%93&commit=Sort+and+Filter&work_search%5Bsort_column%5D=revised_at&work_search%5Brelationship_ids%5D%5B%5D=1329922&work_search%5Bother_tag_names%5D=&work_search%5Bquery%5D=&work_search%5Blanguage_id%5D=&work_search%5Bcomplete%5D=0&fandom_id=758208&user_id=notallbees)


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